450
Annexe F.
REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER IN CHARGE OF THE
HOSPITALS FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
During the year there were 75 admissions to Kennedy Town Hospital and 67 to the Hospital Hulk "Hygeia."
A list of the diseases treated is shown in Tables I and II.
The 18 cases of Malignant Malaria, shown in Table I, were part of a batch of 50 coolies working on the Canton-Kowloon Railway, who were sent in on short notice and could not be accommodated elsewhere. They were transferred after two days to the Government Civil and Tung Wah Hospitals.
The case of Choleraic Diarrhea was admitted as suspected Cholera, but the bacteřiolo- gical examination was negative for that disease.
PLAGUE.
The total number of Plague cases notified amounted to 892. of which 806 proved fatal, i.e., 95-9 per cent. 49 of these cases were treated in Kennedy Town Hospital and 43 died, i.e., 877 per cent.
In the Tung Wah Plague Branch Hospital 136 cases were admitted and 124 died, ie., 91 per cent.
It is probable that the true mortality is not so high as these figures would seem to prove, because it is likely that many thild cases at the beginning and end of the epidemic recover without treatment and are never notified.
The majority of the cases admitted to Hospital are in an advanced stage of the disease and are practically hopeless.
Marieties of Plague.
All three forms were notified, but as is shown below, no case of Septic Plague came under treatment in Kennedy Town. This i explained by the fact that in most cases a post- mortem examination was made and many which had been diagnosed Septic were proved to he Bubonic, the deeper glands alone being implicated. I am of the opinion that true Septic Plague is rare and that a careful post-mortem examination will in most cases reveal a bubo.
The different varieties occurred as follows:
Kennedy Town,
Tung Wah Plague Branch,
Total cases notified including the above,
Bubonie.
Septic.
Pneumonic.
40
0
3
117
18
1
810
68
14
All the cases of Pneumonic and Septic Plague treated in Kennedy Town and the Tung Wah Plague Branch, proved fatal.
In all cases where I found Plague Bacilli in the blood death ensued rapidly.
Focus of Infection.
In the following seven cases I found what I considered to be the focus of infection :---
1. European F. Left Femoral Bubo.
thigh which on examination was 2. Chinese F. Right Inguinal Bubo.
swarming with Plague Bacilli,
Patient had a small pustule on inside of found to contain Plague Bacilli. Small vesicle in Right Lumbar region
3. Chinese M. Right Inguinal Bube. Small pustule on Right Lumbar region.
Smears taken from it were swarming with Plague Bacilli.
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